Exploring Ethical Workforce Partnership: The Philippine Labor Service Model Meeting 27 November 2025 | The Hub at Docklands

Capacité Australia, in partnership with Capacité Development Center Philippines, convened a high-level meeting on 27 November at The Hub at Docklands to explore an ethical, sustainable, and future-focused workforce partnership between Australia and the Philippines. The session brought together influential leaders from government, cooperatives, migration services, and industry networks. The discussions were further strengthened by the special participation of Consul General Jesus “Gary” Domingo, whose presence underscored the importance of collaboration in ethical worker mobility.

The meeting gathered representatives from the Philippine Consulate General, the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM), the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), the Federation of Legitimate Service Contracting Cooperatives (FLSCC), Two Worlds Migration, and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Iriga City. Several of the Philippines’ top-performing and billionaire cooperatives were also in attendance, including the Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives, Generation One Resource Service and MPC, Ako Ikaw May-Ari ng Kooperatiba (AIMKO), PERA Multipurpose Cooperative, Hamtic Multi-Purpose Cooperative, and Kooperatiba Naton Multi-Purpose Cooperative. Joining remotely via Zoom were Mountain Milk Co-operative and NursieCare Recruitment, contributing valuable insights from the Australian dairy and aged care sectors.

A major portion of the dialogue focused on challenges and opportunities in recruiting Filipino workers for Australian sectors such as aged care, disability support, and agriculture. Key issues discussed included English language proficiency, micro-credentialling, recognition of Philippine qualifications, visa pathways, mandatory medical insurance, and the need for culturally relevant pre-departure orientation programs. Capacité Australia and Capacité Philippines shared insights on boosting worker readiness while maintaining ethical recruitment practices aligned with Philippine regulations.

The group also explored organisational and workforce models shaping the future of labor mobility. BCCM highlighted cooperative-driven innovations in Australia, while Strategic Development Group presented the Care Together programme, an emerging model aiming to shift aged care towards cooperative structures. These discussions opened doors to potential co-op-to-co-op partnerships between both countries.

PRIMOS Cooperative, known formally as the Rinconada Immediate Families Jail Officers Stakeholders Producers Cooperative in Region 5, Philippine, was also acknowledged during the meeting. As a cooperative formed to support Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), PRIMOS represents an important example of how inclusive cooperative models can create economic participation for marginalised groups. 

The discussions were notably productive, strategic, and aligned towards a shared vision: strengthening ethical recruitment pathways, building capacity across cooperatives, and creating long-term workforce partnerships that benefit both Australian communities and Filipino workers. All organisations expressed genuine enthusiasm for the momentum built during the meeting, reaffirming their commitment to continued collaboration and the development of impactful initiatives in the months ahead.